The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-01-21

| gethnr, and thur work is real activity.
| Next TO these men come what are called
eartn-stoppers, and TO them is intrusted
n really great responsibility. 1t is their
duty To take care of The fox. If they
perform it badly. he is not ''found."
Tne earths are the fox's hiding-places,
and before the day OF tho meet these
inust be stopped, because not only
woRld 1t affect the finding of fox. bat
in the run he might get away to one of
| his habilations. The idea TO be carried
out is that the fox shall be 'found," and
then chased up hill and down dale. the
riders taking everything. fence or ditch,
in their pursuit OF this willy creature.
Notiees of the hunt are always pub
lisned in the newspapers and II one is
| staying at q country house information
is given more definitely. When ways and
manners in any place are novel, all
| sorts of triiles become interesting, and |
can recall II feeling OF intense interest
on discovering in my room at--Manor
IA little card on which was printed tho
! time and place of the next meet. Such
cards of notification are sent about to
every one OF consequence, or any one
/ who is likely TO wish TO ride.
/ Every one who intends TO ride must
appear early ut the breakfast table, and
the scene is Il most interesting one; the
pink coats are charming variety, and
make many ordinary-looking people
picturesque for the time bong. Only
those whose station warrants them can
wear pink; occasionally well-to-do
farmer may be seen thus arrayed, but
in every case there is Il tax of several
pounds year for wearing it, besides
this there are fees TO keepers and tho
like. and if any mans country is too
well ridden over, that is TO say, il
farmers crops suffer, it is always GUS
lOmary to make up a purse for him.
Now and then some one rebels against
his ground being used. and as tho laws
of the hunting field are entirely unwrit-
len ones, it is difficult to decide in such
Il matter; but the voice of the people is
always loud against anything which in
terfercs with the fox. / knew in one
case where the animal was hunted
across lawn and garden beds. and
killed almost Mt the door of II rectory
The rector was not n hunting man him
self. but it never occurred 10 him to OBJ
ject to this intrusion. Not only does
the interest taken in the sport affect the
results. but the county ITSELF makes
great difference.
The reasons, as have suggested, are
many why hunting differs in different
counties, but chief among them ia the
scent. There are some places where,
no matter how well up to their work
the hounds and officials are, it is almost
impossible to get good scent. Both
the climate and the ground have TO do
with this, and rs nothing can be accom-
plished unless the fox is started. and as
he cannot be started or ..found" without
the scent, it may easily bc seen of what
Importance this is. One will sec at
country house n dolcful expression set
Ting down upon more faces than one if
the air be not favorable; and il n frost
comes up suddenly, how wrotchcd all
the company can appear, for a frost is
the death of good sport.
There's a tone in the wind which seems clear
ly to say,
We shall soon go a-huntiug-hurrah, boys,
hurrahp
Whoever wishes TO ride, goes to the
place appointed as meeting, generally
some short time in advance of tho hour,
but prompt on time the huntsman, the
whips, and the hounds arrive. The
Masters appearance IS eagerly looked
for, and il is beautiful sight to SEQ the
hounds welcome him. think the pref
test picture l ever saw connected with
sport was the assembling of the South
Devon pack one clear autumn morning.
AS the Master rode into the field, the
hounds rushed forward and settled
themselves on their launches in circles
around his horse. As far Us the eve
could see, the country was rich and
beautiful, with enough of wood, enough
of meadow, enough of undulation, to
make tho picture well worth remember
ing, and in the field the hunting party
were waiting their word of command
This given, off they started 10 draw
the wood to the left. On this day, de-
lightful as were all the elcments-.a
combination which seemed TO insure
success-therc was not fox 10 be found,
and IL was rumored that at the next
meeting what is called ''bagman"
would be brought. This term is app
piled to fox which is brought in bag
to the hunt, and then Lot out and away
"a kind of hunting much despiscd by
genuine sportsmen.
Those magical words, ''in ut the
DEATH" how seldom arc they used salts
factorily! But since the animal has to
be run down, this is fine sight. As n
general rule, the huntsman or one of
the men scizes the fox as soon as it is
killed, and holds il high above the
hounds. whose notes of triumph are
tremendous When it is quito certain
that all have seen it. the body is thrown
to the dogs and quickly dcvoured, the
"brtsh," or tail, being presented to the
first lady on the spor.-Lucu c. Lille.
in Harper's Magazine.